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Laptop is plugged in, not charging
I have two Dell laptops that routinely give me the message "plugged in, not charging". One is an Inspiron 1545 and the other is a Precision M4500.
In both cases, whether the laptop will charge or not depends on which power adapter I plug into it. With some power adapters, the battery will take a charge, with others, it will not take a charge, but it will run fine indefinitely with the power adapter without losing charge.
Those power adapters that will charge batteries seem to have a slightly higher voltage (but only about 0.1 V) than those that do not. The wattage does not seem to effect whether it will charge the battery. The best adapter I have is a 65W slim travel adapter. The M4500 complains about it not having enough watts, but this travel adapter will charge the battery (albeit slowly), although the adapter that came with the computer no longer will.
Which power adapters will charge a given computer varies over time, although I it seems to be unidirectional. I have not seen a power supply that failed to charge revert to charging the same computer. In other words, there is a gradual deterioration of a component of either the computer's charging circuitry or the power adapter's voltage regulating circuitry. As far as I know, any of these power adapters would have charged either computer when they were new.
I do not currently have a power adapter that will charge the Inspiron 1545. But the travel adapter would charge it long after the adapter that came with the computer stopped charging it.
By the way, this is not a battery problem. Each of these computers has a worn out battery and a newer battery that is still good. The "plugged in, not charging" behavior is identical, regardless of which battery is installed.
Interestingly, the Inspiron 1545 has now started claiming that the power adapter that came with it as original equipment is not recognized.
I have had Dell computers, including laptops for several decades. These are the first ones I have had that complained about the power adapter not being the right one. I suspect that the problem is with the software used to characterize the power adapter having tolerances that are too tight for the normal degradation of components. I also suspect that this degradation is no more than occurred with the power adapters of all the previous laptops I have had. Although I know it can happen, I don't think I have ever had a power adapter actually fail. All of the power adapters I have discussed here remain capable of running a computer. The computer simply will not allow the battery to charge from them.
I would greatly appreciate it if Dell would look at the software that controls charging and determination of appropriate power adapters and to try changing the tolerances to account for degradation over time of voltage regulating diodes or other components.
DELL-Sujatha K
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December 20th, 2012 13:00
HI RMThallman,
Inspiron 1545 with discrete video card were shipped with 90 W E-Series Ac adapters, the integrated Video card with 65 W Ac adapters. The Ac adapter shipped with Precision M4500 is 135 W. I recommend you to use a Dell Ac adapter which is specific to this system.
I suggest that you shut the system down, remove the battery and disconnect the ac adapter, press and hold the power button for 20 to 30 seconds. Now connect only the ac adapter and wait for 30 seconds and turn on the system. Please check the status of the Ac adapter in the BIOS. To go to BIOS restart the system and at the Dell logo keep taping the F2 key every two seconds. In the BIOS screen click on the ‘+’ sign next to ‘General’ and click on ‘Battery Information’.
Also flash BIOS to the latest version by clicking on the link below:
For Inspiron 1545: http://dell.to/Rg89Oa
Precision M4500: http://dell.to/12sjAWP
Please select the ‘Operating system’ from the drop down list and then click on ‘BIOS’ and select the latest version from the list. Please make sure the battery has minimum 10% charge and the Ac adapter is connected as this needs uninterrupted power supply. Please do not use the system till it restarts and comes up to the desktop.
Please check the performance of the Battery after the BIOS update. Revert for further assistance.
Strksmel
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December 20th, 2012 22:00
I also have a Inspiron 1520 that wont charge. A new battery has been put in. It worked until I let it completely die and n0w it wont recharge. Any Suggestions?
DELL-Sujatha K
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December 23rd, 2012 13:00
Hi Strksmel,
Please let me know if the system turns on only with the Ac adapter. In case the system is not turning on, check by connecting the Ac adapter to a known good wall outlet. Check the LED status on Ac adapter when connected only to the wall out let and then when connected to the system. As mentioned in the previous post flee power by removing the battery and disconnecting the Ac adapter, check the status of the Ac adapter in the BIOS.
Please revert for further assistance.
RMThallman
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December 28th, 2012 19:00
I have tried the dry boot on both machines with no effect.
I updated the BIOS on the M4500 with no effect.
I am unable to update the BIOS on the Inspiron 1545 becasue the batteries have 0% and 3% charge and, as explained previously, I am completely unable to charge them. But, the BIOS will not install without a battery charge of at least 10%.
I did notice that the travel power adapter that will charge the M4500 is recognized as a 65W power adapter, whereas the 130W power adapter that came with that computer is considered "unrecognized". I have not checked every possible combination, but it seems that the "plugged in, not charging" problem may coincide with the "power adapter not recognized" condition.
I still suspect that the root of the problem is software that is intended to recognize power adapters (which seems to me to be unnecessary) which is insufficiently tolerant of slight deterioration over time in hardware (either the power adapters or the charging circuitry in the computers). I furthermore suspect that the slight deteroriation over time in the hardware has always occured, but was never a problem until Dell and other manufacturers implemented overly sensitive software intended to complain about non-OEM power adapters.
tjk609
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January 12th, 2013 06:00
I have been having the same problem with my XPS M1530 for over a year. Tech support had me download a new bios - didn't work - tried a 2009 version - didn't work - technician suggested sending it to them for $ 180 plus parts for a new motherboard and they would fix it. Saw a blog that someone tried that and it didn't fix the problem.
cocacolainmyass
1 Message
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April 19th, 2014 03:00
u now what?, this is maybe a stupid conspiracy . i had do some stupid things, i put and pull off the
Profane word removed as per TOU> ac adapter jack like making love at it.so this might be make an error at dallas Profane word removed as per TOU> chip then ur ac adapter can be work,this not charging problem make ur dell performance low ,and with suprisely,now my Profane word removed as per TOU> dell vostro 1014 is plugged in and charging, and i've swear to god and my self , if my Profane word removed as per TOU> dell is charging again, i will not pull out the Profane word removed as per TOU> ac adapter jack forever. so if my dell is blow up ,dell should pay for my medical expenses. :emotion-1: